page_title: Treatment of equine lameness
section_title: Corrective trimming and shoeing
hierarchical_section_title: Treatment of equine lameness / Corrective trimming and shoeing
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Hirtenmuseum Hersbruck: Hufeisen
context_page_description: The treatment of equine lameness is a complex subject. Lameness in horses has a variety of causes, and treatment must be tailored to the type and degree of injury, as well as the financial capabilities of the owner. Treatment may be applied locally, systemically, or intralesionally, and the strategy for treatment may change as healing progresses. The end goal is to reduce the pain and inflammation associated with injury, to encourage the injured tissue to heal with normal structure and function, and to ultimately return the horse to the highest level of performance possible following recovery.
context_section_description: Corrective trimming and shoeing is used to alter the forces placed on the hoof and soft tissues of the digit and lower leg. The goal is to reduce strain or load on structures that are at-risk of damage secondary to conformation, movement, or past injury, or to treat areas that are healing and can no longer handle normal forces. Evaluation of the horse's conformation, hoof balance, and shoeing is often a first step in treatment of lameness. A correct, balanced trim is a key component of lameness treatment and prevention. Some cases of lameness, such as angular limb deformities and navicular syndrome, are best managed with special trimming and shoeing. In very complex cases, a farrier that focuses on corrective shoeing and trimming may be recommended for the duration of treatment.
  Adjustments in trimming or shoeing can be made to help support the hoof, allowing pressure to be distributed over healthy tissue in order reduce the force over damaged or diseased tissue. Application of various types of therapeutic shoes, pads, and wedges, can be used to help alter stress placed on structures within the foot or the lower limb. Hospital plates—special shoes that keep the entire sole clean but can be opened to allow for daily treatment—are sometimes recommended for injuries to the bottom of the hoof such hoof abscesses or canker.
caption: Various types of shoes are available to alter forces placed on the hoof and lower leg.
exif: {"Image Make": "FUJIFILM", "Image Model": "FinePix HS10 HS11", "Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "Digital Camera FinePix HS10 HS11 Ver1.02", "Image DateTime": "2012:05:16 22:43:34", "Image Artist": "Picasa", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Co-sited", "Image ExifOffset": "286", "Image PrintIM": "[80, 114, 105, 110, 116, 73, 77, 0, 48, 50, 53, 48, 0, 0, 2, 0, 2, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0]", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail Orientation": "Rotated 90 CCW", "Thumbnail XResolution": "72", "Thumbnail YResolution": "72", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "4074", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "6618", "Thumbnail YCbCrPositioning": "Co-sited", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/50", "EXIF FNumber": "16/5", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Program Normal", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "800", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0220", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2012:01:22 23:24:11", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2012:01:22 23:24:11", "EXIF ComponentsConfiguration": "Y", "EXIF CompressedBitsPerPixel": "2", "EXIF ShutterSpeedValue": "28/5", "EXIF ApertureValue": "17/5", "EXIF BrightnessValue": "3/5", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "0", "EXIF MaxApertureValue": "3", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Pattern", "EXIF LightSource": "Unknown", "EXIF Flash": "Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode", "EXIF FocalLength": "63/10", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "2742", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "3664", "Interoperability InteroperabilityIndex": "R98", "Interoperability InteroperabilityVersion": "[48, 49, 48, 48]", "Interoperability RelatedImageWidth": "2742", "Interoperability RelatedImageLength": "3664", "EXIF InteroperabilityOffset": "3902", "EXIF FocalPlaneXResolution": "3441", "EXIF FocalPlaneYResolution": "3441", "EXIF FocalPlaneResolutionUnit": "3", "EXIF SensingMethod": "One-chip color area", "EXIF FileSource": "Digital Camera", "EXIF SceneType": "Directly Photographed", "EXIF CustomRendered": "Normal", "EXIF ExposureMode": "Auto Exposure", "EXIF WhiteBalance": "Auto", "EXIF FocalLengthIn35mmFilm": "38", "EXIF SceneCaptureType": "Standard", "EXIF Sharpness": "Normal", "EXIF SubjectDistanceRange": "0", "EXIF ImageUniqueID": "e050344f28bbd4da8162404aab43516c"}